Ribbon-reverse mechanism for type-writing machines.



No. 739,100. PATENTED sEET.1.5, 1903. L. MYERS. RIBBON REVERSE MECHANISM FDR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903.

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WITNESSES:

dM BY ATTORNEYS liouzls Jlyers No. 739,100. PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903. L. MYERS.

RIBBON REVERSE MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903.

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PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

I L. MYERS. RIBBON EEvEEsE MEGHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1903;

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I lNl/ENTOH A7TOHNEYS UNITED STATES Fatented September 15, 1903. PATENT OFFICE.

'touis MYERs, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR 'ro UNDERWOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N.'Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RlBBON-REVERSE-MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 739,100, dated September 15, 1903.

v v Application filed May 14, 1903. Serial No. l57.055. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that 1, Louis MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, I-Iartford county, State of Oonnecticut,'have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Ribbon Reverse Mechanism for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specificatiou.

My invention relates to type-writing ma- 1o ohines,and particularly to those in which a ribbon is employed for effecting the impression, and has for its object to provide a simple and readily-applied device for automatically reversing the direction in which the ribbon is fed every time the ribbon reaches the end of its travel.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter, and the features of novelty pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of a type-writing machine provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional elevation on-the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the ribbonspool holder. Fig. 4 is an elevation thereof with the ribbon-spool in position. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the ribbon-spool holder looko ing in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 2. Fig 6' is a plan of the switch operated by the ribbon-spool holder to bring about the reversal of the ribbon-feed. Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 of another form of my invention. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the ribbon-spool holder and adjacent parts taken substantially in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 7. Fig; 9 is a plan of the ribbon-spool holder and adjacent parts, and Fig. 10 illus- 4o trates still another form of my invention.

The ribbon is fed in any suitable mannerfor instance, by a mechanism operated by the depression of the keys. As such mechanism is well known in the art, I have not illustrated its details in the drawings, and I have only shown a rock-shaft A extending lengthwise of the carriage-path and adapted to be swung by the operation of the keys. This shaft is provided at each end with a crank-arm A. Each crank-arm is pivotally connected with a pawl 13, adapted to engage a ratchet-wheel- O and to turn the same in one direction. A spring D is employed for holding the pawl B against the ratchet-wheel, anda retainingpawl E prevents a return movement of the ratchet-wheel when the corresponding feedpawl is inoperatiou. Each spring D and the corresponding retaining-pawl are carried by one end of a reversing-lever F, extending lengthwise of the carriage-path and pivoted at F to the central portion of the machine= frame. Thus when the pawls B E atone end I of the machine are in operative position the pawls at the other end are out of engagement with the corresponding ratchet-wheel, so that 6 5' the rocking of the shaft A imparts an intermittent motion only to one of the ratchet- Wheels at a time. Any suitable device is employed for holding the reversing-lever against accidental movement. Thus the ends of the reversing-lever'inay have a sufficient frictional engagement for this purpose with sta- I tion'ary guides E.

The reversing-lever F is connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum with vertically-movable operatingrods G, which are suitably guided in the frame of the machine. The upper end of each rod G is adapted to be engaged and raised by a switch I, having inclined members I embracing theend of the rod G between them. This switch is pivot ally mounted upon the frame at J and is capable of swinging not only sidewise,but transversely or up and down to a limited extent A spring K normally keeps the switch down in the position illustrated by Fig. 2.

L indicates the carriage, which normally moves without affecting the position ofthe switches I-that is, when the latter are in the position shown in Fig. 2. When, however, that end of a switch which is adjacent to the carriage is raised, such end projects into the path of a suitable portion of the carriage, so that the latter will engage the switch and swing it sidewise on its pivot J. This will 5 bring the inclined members 1 against the upper end of the corresponding rod G and will raise the rod G, and consequently bring about a change in the position of the lever F, thus reversing the ribbon feed.

As a means for I00 operating the switch when raised,the carriage may beprovided with a rack L, which rack may also serve other purposes.

The mechanism provided for throwing one of the switches into its operative position at the proper time consists of a beveled pin M, which is secured to the ribbon-spool holder M. This spool-holder is provided with a ribbon-guide M which may be of the customary construction. It will be understood that the ribbon N passes out through the guide M at one side of the machine and then lengthwise of the carriage-path to the correspondingspoolholder on the other side. At the center of the machine the ribbon may pass through the customary ribbon-guide 0, adjacent to which I have indicated the type-bar guide P.

Within the spool-holder M extends the shaft or spindle Q, which is adapted to drive the ribbon-spool R by means of a pin Q or in any other suitable manner. The spindleQ is driven from the corresponding ratchet-wheel C by means of bevel-gearing S The ribbonspool holder M instead of being stationary, as usual, is capable of a limited rocking movement about its axis. For this purpose said holder is provided in its bottom with segmental slots M into which project pins T, secured to a stationary part, such as the bearing T for the upper portion of the spindle Q. A spring U tends to keep the ribbon -spool holder in a predetermined position, so that the said holder will be moved or rocked against the tension of the spring U when the end of the ribbon is reached, and an unusual pull is thus exerted on the ribbon owing to the engagement of the ribbon with the guide M This pull will give the ribbon-spool holder a partial rotation, thus causing the switch I to be raised by the action of the pin M. This brings about the reversal of the ribbon-feed, as has been previously explained.

If no parts were provided in addition to those described, the pull produced when the end of the ribbon is reached would obviously turn the holders M at both ends of the machine, and thus operate both switches I, which of course would interfere with the proper operation of the device. In order that only one of the switehes may be operated, I provide a device for locking one of the ribbon-spool holders at the time of the reversal. This locking device may be constructed as follows: On the ribbon-spool holder is pivoted a locking-arm V, the lower end of which is adapted to engage a notch T of the bearing T. Normally, however, said lower end clears the said notch, a spring \V serving to hold the lower end of the arm V in an outer position. The upper end of the arm V is adapted to engage the ribbon N. Now as the diameter of the ribbon portion wound on the spool increases the upper end of the arm V will be forced outward by the ribbon and the lower end will be brought into the notch T thus locking the holder M to the stationary bearing T. This will occur some time before the ribbon winds fully off the other spool. Therefore when the end of the ribbon is reached, only one of the spool-holders will be turned by the pull of the ribbon and only one of the switches I will be operated. As soon as the reversing-lever is shifted the tension on the ribbon is relieved. The various springs return the several parts to their normal positions in proper time; To reduce friction I may provide rollers V upon the upper ends of the locking-arms V.

In another form of my invention (illustrated by Figs. 7, 8, and 9) the locking-arm 1), provided with a roller 'v to engage the ribbon N, and pressed toward said ribbon by a spring w is arranged to come into locking engagement with a fork m which forms part of the ribbon -spool holder m when the ribbon winds oif the spool. In this case the locking-arm is pivoted to the frame of the machine, and it will be understood that the shifting mechanism is operated by the movement of that ribbon-spool holder the spool of which is full. Therefore a slightly-diiferent action of the switches is required, and in the particular instance illustrated I obtain the desired result, as follows: The ribbonspool holder m is provided with a projection rn,which may be adjustable, if desired. This projection when the holder m is turned by the pull of the ribbon immediately preceding the reversal engages a lever 7' fulcrumed on a stationary bracket T which is carried by the bearing T. The lower end of this lever is connected with a slide j, movable toward and from the rack L of the carriage L. To this slide is pivoted about avertical axisjthe switch i,provided with opposing inclined members 71, between which is located the upper end of an operating-rod G. These rods may either be connected with the reversing-lever F pivotally in the same manner as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or the said rods may straddle the reversing-lever loosely and be normally kept in an upper position by springs II. A spring I; is employed to restore the switch 1' to its normal position, it being understood that said spring acts both to pull the switch sidewise, so that the end of the rod G will be centrally located between the inclined members 'i, and also to draw the switch away from the rack L. In the operation of this form of my invention one of the ribbon-spool hold-. ers will become locked against rotation, as illustrated by Fig. 8, as the ribbon unwinds from one of the spools, and when the ribbon is fully unwound the increase of its tension will cause the holder of the full spool to turn about its axis, thus bringing the projection m against the leverj. The slidej will thus be moved to carry the switch 2' into engagement with the rack L. The movement of the carriage will then swing the switch sidewise and by the engagement of one of the inclined members i with the upper end of the corresponding operating-rod G depress the said operating-rod and one end of the reversinglever F. The ribbon-feed will thus be reversed, relieving the extra tension on the rib bon, and thus allowing the-ribbon-spool holder to return to its normal position, the spring 70 at the same time bringing the switch 2', the slide j, and the lever j back to their original position. It will be understood that in all other respects the construction illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 is identical with that shown in Figs. lto 6, and Ihave not, therefore, repeated the description of the parts, which arealike in both structures.

' As shown in Fig. 10, the operating-rod G, which at its lower end is pivotally connected with the reversing-lever F in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1, has a head under which extends the forked end of a switch X, pivoted at J in the same manner that the switch I is pivoted in Figs. 1 and 2. The spring k is also employed in this case and the construction of the movable ribbon spool holder M is exactly the same as in Figs. 1 to 5, and therefore need not be described any further. In this case the operation of the switch X is not brought about by its engagement with the carriage, but directly by the movement of the switch. In Figs. 1 and .2 the switch I has a certain play orlost motion before it engages the head of the operatingrod G. In Fig. 10, however, the switch X moves up and down only, no lateral move-, ment being necessary, and the engagement of the beveled pin M with the switch directly causes said switch to raise the operating-rod G and to bring about a reversal of the ribbon in the same manner as explained with reference to Figs. 1 to 6.

The ribbon-reversing mechanism herein described is applicable to existing machines of the Underwood type without requiring extensive alterations. It will be understood,

, however, that the mechanism is applicable to other machines also.

Various modifications may be made with out departing from the nature of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with two ribbon-spool holders, of spindles about which said spoolholders have a limited rotary movement, means for drivingsaid spindles to feed the ribbon in one direction of the other, and ribbonreversing mechanism controlled by the movement of the ribbon-spool holders.

2. The combination, with driving mechanism for the ribbon-spools, of movable'ribbonspool holders adapted to be operated by the tension of the ribbon when the end of the ribbon is reached, and ribbon-reversing mechanism controlled by the movement of the ribbon-spool holders.

3. The combination, with the ribbon-spool spindles, means for driving them to feed the ribbon, and ribbon-spool holders mounted to holders arranged to be shifted by the ribbon I when the same is near its end, said'spoolholders being provided with projections, ribbon-reversing mechanism having operating members or switches adapted to be brought into operative position by the action of the said projections of the ribbon-spool holders,

and a carriage adapted to engage and shift said switches when they are in their operative position.

6. The combination, with means for driving the ribbon-spools, of movable ribbon-spool holders, mechanism operated by the movement of the ribbon-spoolholders for reversing the ribbon, and a device for lockin g one of the ribbon-spool holders at the time of reversal.

'7. The combination, with means for driving the ribbonspools, of movable ribbon-guides arranged adj aeent to said spools and adapted to be shifted by the ribbon when the end thereof is reached, ribbon-reversing mechanism controlled by themovem ent of said guides, and a device for locking one of said guides at the time of reversal.

8. The combination, with means for driving the ribbon-spools, of ribbon-guides arranged adjacent to said spools and adapted to be shifted by the ribbon when the latter is near its end, means controlled by the movement of said guides for reversing the ribbon, and a locking device arranged to engage the ribbon to be moved thereby, so as to lock one of the ribbon-guides. I

9. The combination, with means for driving the ribbon-spools, of ribbon-guides arranged adjacent to said spools and adapted to be moved by the ribbon when the latter nears its end, a ribbon-reversing mechanism provided with switches normally standing in an inoperative position and adapted to be swung into an operative position by the movement of said ribbon-guides, and a carriage provided with a rack adapted to engage the said switches when they are in their operative position and to then move the said switches.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

LOUIS MYERS.

Vitnesscs:

JOHN LoTKA, EUGENE EBLE.

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